The present invention generally relates to weight systems or weight stacks for use in muscle building, or exercising or testing the human body where the user usually pulls a cable which lifts one or more weights in the weight stack and then reduces pressure on the cable to allow the lifted weights to descend to a normal or lowered position from which the process may be repeated. The cable may be adapted to be handled directly by the user or, as is shown in the attached drawings, may be connected to a machine which upon movement caused by the user, causes the cable to move in one direction to lift the weights and upon movement of the machine in an opposite direction allows the cable to return to its original position allowing the weights to descend.
Because of space limitations, conventional weight stacks do not provide sufficient range of different weights to be selected for lifting, and the increments between the various weights to be lifted are too great or too little to provide a desired, precise selection of weight to be lifted by the user.
In addition, typical weight stacks of the prior art utilize fixed guide rods for maintaining the position of the weights in the stack in alignment relative to each other. When moving along the guide rods, the weights at times will engage the guide rods which will result in a frictional force in addition to the selected weight which must be overcome by the user, thus adversely effecting the accuracy of weight selection.
Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved weight system for exercising or testing muscles of the human body and which overcomes the above-noted problems. Included herein is the provision of such a weight system which may be adjusted in small or large increments with precision to suit the strength or choice of the user.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a weight system in which frictional forces usually attending conventional weight stacks are reduced to increase the accuracy of weight selection.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved weight system of the type described above which may be constructed for mass production and use in new or conventional machines for exercising or testing muscles of the human body.